Nissan Stadium (Yokohama)

The International Stadium Yokohama, now called Nissan Stadium because of its sponsor, is a big sports place in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It opened in March 1998 and is where the Yokohama F. Marinos soccer team plays its home games in the J1 League.

For many years, it was the largest stadium in Japan, with space for 75,000 people to watch games. It was very important during big events. It hosted some games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, including the final match between Germany and Brazil on June 30, 2002. The stadium was also used for the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Over the years, the name "Nissan Stadium" has been used because of agreements between the city and Nissan Motors. These agreements have been renewed several times, and the latest one runs until February 28, 2026.

FIFA Club World Cup

International Stadium Yokohama has hosted the FIFA Club World Cup since 2002. It first started with the match between Real Madrid and Olimpia, where Real Madrid became champions. In 2005, the tournament changed to include more teams and matches, and the stadium continued to be an important venue for many years.

Music events

Some famous Japanese musicians have performed at Nissan Stadium. The rock band B'z was the first to use the stadium for a music event in 1999 and returned several times over the years. In 2010, the heavy metal band X Japan gave two big concerts with around 140,000 people attending.

Other groups like the Japanese girl group AKB48 and the South Korean group TVXQ also performed there. TVXQ even held three shows in a row in 2018, drawing about 225,000 fans. More recently, Nogizaka46 celebrated their 10th anniversary with a concert there in 2022.

Notable football matches

Nissan Stadium in Yokohama has been the venue for many important international football matches. Some of the biggest events include the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and several FIFA Club World Cup tournaments.

The stadium hosted key matches such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final, where crowds of over 60,000 fans gathered to watch. It has also been the stage for many FIFA Club World Cup finals and semi-finals over the years, featuring top teams from around the world.

Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Men's tournament

Women's tournament

International rugby matches

Some players made their first appearances in international matches during games at this stadium. Players from Japan such as Asaeli Ai Valu, Kazuki Himeno, Fetuani Lautaimi, Sione Teaupa, and Wimpie van der Walt, as well as Matt Philip from Australia, played their first international games here.

Ben McCalman from Australia reached a special milestone by playing his 50th international match.

Sonny Bill Williams from New Zealand also played his 50th international match. Another player, Sekope Kepu from Australia, became the ninth player from his country to play 100 international matches, and the first in his position to do so.

2019 Rugby World Cup

Main article: 2019 Rugby World Cup